Child of Monsters and Men
by FringeDivision2008
Summary: Sequel to Hope for the Lost; Skye's origins are discovered after she makes a fateful decision to save her fellow agents. She must learn to navigate SHIELD after this revelation and accept being both a child of monsters and men. How will the team react and will her fellow agents accept or reject her?
1. Saving Men

Child of Monsters and Men

Spoilers: Short Sequel to **Hope for the Lost**, read first or you will be lost.

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything...

Brief Note: This will be only 2-5 chapters long, just depends on how I want to play this. However if I do want to expand it longer than 5 chapters, I will but that is NOT A PROMISE.

* * *

Never in her life had Skye seen the pain she saw as she walked into the Playground's Infirmary. HYDRA had seen to attacking one of their new bases, detonating a bomb and with only one SHIELD Infirmary everyone had to be transported back. Simmons and Trip were directing nurses and other medics in treating the wounded but they were stretched so thin that lives were being lost. The sound of May's voice echoed and finally the agent turned to see May helping Agent Romanoff carry Agent Barton to a bed.

"Skye," Simmons moved over to her and held out bandages. "Help Agent Perez with bandaging those with minor injuries."

Taking the bandages, she moved over to the agent Simmons directed her to. Agent Perez was a nurse and instantly started directing Skye on how to treat and wrap minor injuries. Midway through the day Skye found herself on the floor outside the Infirmary with her head in her hands. She wasn't used to the bloody side of war, they hadn't encountered injuries of such magnitude before and while she'd seen a blood bath it had been the enemy.

* * *

Someone shifted beside her and she looked up to see Ward sitting beside her with his arms on his knees. "I thought destroying Hand would destroy HYDRA but instead we just opened it up for someone much worse, whoever that person is." Shaking her head she looked at her hands, "I can't even help them, I thought maybe I could but I realized I'd kill us both just trying. There are too many and that much blood is more than we both have to give."

"You need rest," Ward reached over and took her hand. "Come on, you'll feel less overwhelmed after you get some sleep." Standing he turned to her and held out his hands to help her up.

"I don't think I'll feel less overwhelmed until this war is over." She stood up and started walking to their quarters.

Skye found herself falling asleep as soon as she was under the covers, warm and away from the death that populated the Infirmary. Having Ward beside her seemed to make everything better and she fell instantly asleep as he continuously smoothed back her hair. The worries of the day and the war disappeared as unconsciousness claimed her for a few hours.

* * *

Ward left their quarters once Skye was asleep and made his way to the small personal lab that Simmons and Fitz shared. He found the biochemist turned physician reviewing medical scans and making assessments. Closing the door, he walked over and stood by her holo-table to wait until she was finished.

"I can't talk right now Agent Ward," she looked up at him. "There is just too much to review and assess before I can assign individual patients to nurses and medics."

"What if I could hand you a cure to any illness, would you take it no matter what?" He watched her put down her tablet and pay attention. "Would you take it even if it was…alien?"

Simmons shook her head, "that's impossible, the only cure that we know of is the GH-325 and it's gone. I am certainly not using the crude form that Raina created and turned Garrett into a monster."

"It healed my broken ribs, a bullet wound in my shoulder as well as various cuts and scrapes." He held out his finger, "all it took was an amount the size of my finger tip."

The scientist looked at the tablet, "what is it?"

"I can't tell you unless you agree to use it despite its source." He leaned forward against the table and stared at her. "You also have to follow my directions specifically or it won't work, this isn't something you're capable of dissecting like other cures. Afterwards you can't dissect or take apart the cure, you have to leave it alone until the next time someone's life is on the line."

Silence filled the room before Simmons nodded, "I agree, I'll use it as you instruct but only because I won't see any more agents dead."

"Okay, you'll need a vial for every three patients so count those out and also the equipment to draw blood." He saw Simmons stared at him, "I said do as I instruct with no questions, I'll be back in a few moments and keep the door shut."

* * *

Ward found Skye asleep so he gently shook her and she opened her eyes, "Grant…"

"Come on," he nodded to the door. "You think it'll kill us to help everyone but it won't and I have a plan." She sat up and stared at him, confused. "You wanted to help our agents and I can't see you upset anymore."

"But how…"

Bending down beside the bed, he looked into her eyes as he grasped her hand. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then know I'd never hurt you or endanger you in anyway."

* * *

Simmons looked up with the equipment she had when the door opened, she turned to see Skye and Ward enter the room. Ward shut the door and locked it as Skye walked over to the drawer where sharps were kept.

"I do hope you brought the cure with you that you promised me." Simmons watched as Skye looked at her. "I assume he's brought you into the middle of this to encourage me to keep quiet."

Skye smiled as Ward walked over to them, slipping onto the table the former hacker shrugged at her friend. "Actually he's brought the cure…me."

"You…" Simmons looked between them, "I believe I heard you wrong, you believe you're the cure."

"I know I am, I turned the men my parents turned into monsters back into the men they were." Skye sighed as Ward moved to stand beside her. "Their blood creates monsters and mine cures injuries of any type."

Simmons looked between the two, "and you're just telling us this now, we could have cured Fitz last year if you had revealed this."

"I just found out when Hand held me hostage." Skye sighed and looked at the scalpel in her hand, "it only becomes a cure for a short while and only after it's transformed. It's complicated and I suspect disgusting if you actually saw it."

"Disgusting or not I am staying so how can I help with this transformation of your blood into this miraculous cure?"

* * *

Skye looked at Ward and held up the scalpel, "you want to do it or should I?"

He took the scalpel and cut his finger much to Simmons' horror, "what are you bloody well doing?" She started to grab a nearby gauze pad and moved over to stop the bleeding but he moved to Skye and framed her body with his arms, ignoring the scientist.

"Are you ready, I know you hate this feeling?"

The former hacker nodded, "yeah, if it helps them than I can do this."

Ignoring Simmons, Ward held up his finger to Skye's mouth and she instantly accepted. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to soak in all the blood from his finger and felt herself absorb it as he removed his finger from her mouth. Ward pressed his thumb against his finger to stop the blood flow and stared at Skye, aware of the disgust and confusion on Simmons' face. "Skye?"

Her eyes opened and instead of brown they were entirely black, Simmons took a step back as Skye looked at her. "What…"

Ward put his hand out, "it's alright, she won't hurt you. Go ahead and draw her blood before it wears off and it will within five minutes."

* * *

Simmons started the process of drawing Skye's blood but was wary, she noticed that Ward kept Skye practically caged to the table with his arms. He kept Skye's attention and spoke to her softly, black eyes paid attention to him solely as if hypnotized. Just as she put a bandage around Skye's arm, the young agent blinked and fell against Ward's chest. He caught her and held her, her eyes looked directly at Simmons and the scientist saw her friend's familiar brown eyes.

"Put a small amount to an open wound and let it be absorbed, the injuries will heal quickly." Ward spoke to Simmons as he carefully picked Skye up bridal style. "Remember you can't breathe a word about this or you could put Skye's life under a microscope."

The scientist nodded, "I understand, not a word."

"No research either, we'll tell Coulson tomorrow after she's slept the effects off." Ward left the room with Skye in his arms and allowed Simmons to administer Skye's blood to the wounded.

* * *

A/N: Skye's blood will save all the agents still alive but how will the team react when they find out?

Next we see Skye and Ward explain to Coulson and May the extent of what they did.

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	2. Discovery of Near-Human Origins

Child of Monsters and Men

Spoilers: Short Sequel to **Hope for the Lost**, read first or you will be lost.

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything...

Brief Note: This will be only 2-5 chapters long, just depends on how I want to play this. However if I do want to expand it longer than 5 chapters, I will but that is NOT A PROMISE.

* * *

Grant Ward knew two things in the world kept him grounded: the fight against HYDRA and the girl that HYDRA wanted. So watching as Skye explain what she was and why she'd risked everything to save about three dozen agents, he stood silently prepared to support her as far as it went. She was the child of monsters but also of men; May and Coulson were the only parental figures she really had and since her confession of seeing them that way, they'd stepped up to take those titles. May was not one to be emotional but with Skye she'd fight tooth and nail for the girl as if she'd bore the young agent herself. The lengths Coulson went to protect Skye had already been measured so there was no doubting his care of her.

Coulson put a hand up to stop Skye's explanation, he stood from where he sat behind his desk and moved around to her. Leaning against the front of it he looked her in the eyes. "You say you hate this feeling, the feeling that consumes you when you take in blood."

"I feel like I'm watching from behind glass, like my actions aren't my own." She looked at Ward from where he stood leaning against one of the office bookcases. "Ward does a pretty good job of keeping me focused during the whole thing. Whatever I am when I do it, I don't think I have much control of my actions because I remember everything but I also remember not thinking any of it." Shrugging she looked at her hands, "it's like there's two parts of me: Skye and whatever I was born to be."

May shot Ward a glare before turning her attention to Skye, "but you still chose to do it?"

"I couldn't let anyone else die." Skye looked at both Coulson and May, "if you could save them all you would have done it. We're in a war and death is part of war but I won't let that happen if I can help it."

Coulson squatted down in front of Skye's chair, "we're worried about you not everyone else. Skye, right now you can control this but what if one day you start to feel the same blood lust your parents enjoyed?" He touched her hand, "that's what we're worried about, how this affects you in the future."

The agent nodded and looked Coulson in the eyes. "I understand but I'm not sorry."

"Just let us know next time you're even thinking about it." May reached over and touched Skye's arm. "Why don't you go check on the agents and see how their recovery is going."

She stood and started to move before turning to smile at them. "Thanks guys."

Ward started to move but May's voice made him pause, "Ward stay behind."

Skye looked at him and he put up a hand, "go on, I'll meet you later."

* * *

The door closed and Ward looked at both senior agents, Coulson stared at him as he returned to the chair behind his desk. "You swore to protect her and now you're letting her put herself in harm's way. You should have told us this immediately instead of keeping it a secret."

"It was Skye's choice to keep it from you, not mine." Ward folded his arms, "she hates what she is and doesn't know how people would view her if they knew."

"What do you think of it all, of what she is?" May folded her arms and Ward looked her in the eyes as he prepared to say what he thought.

"She's Skye, human or not it doesn't matter to me." He took a step forward and looked at them both. "I said I would protect her and that also means making sure she doesn't do anything reckless. If I hadn't controlled how things happened than they could have ended up a lot worse. You know when she sets her mind to something and is emotional she doesn't think and that's where I come in."

Coulson nodded and looked over at May, "he's right as much as we don't like it."

"I'll watch for any signs of blood lust but so far she's adverse to blood as you saw in the Infirmary." Ward shoved his hands in his pocket, "I won't let her become what her parents were."

May sat down and shared a look with Coulson before the director nodded. He moved his chin in the direction of the door, "make sure this doesn't get beyond our doors, I'll direct Simmons to keep quiet."

With a nod he began to leave till May's voice made him turn back. "I have one question." Turning to look at him, she gazed with both confusion and curiosity, "how do you keep her focused during it all?"

He couldn't help but smile softly at the intimate moments they create during those times of her blood spells. Looking down before meeting May's eyes, he didn't let his smile fade. "I stare into her eyes and tell her who she really is, what makes her Skye."

* * *

Finding Skye wasn't hard, he knew she'd be checking on the agents that were recovering but he didn't expect to see her exiting Simmons' Infirmary office with tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. She meets his eyes as she passed him and shakes her head as if to warn him off before leaving the Infirmary with her arms around her waist. It has him standing in front of the scientist immediately who merely looks up from her files and pales when she knows why he's there.

Medical privacy doesn't exist between him and Skye, she knows everything about him and he knows everything her because there are no secrets anymore. If Simmons or Huang or some other stupid person tries to pull the 'doctor-patient confidentiality' string it doesn't matter because they'll know what happened within hours of the visit. Simmons had learned this when Skye asked something about Ward and before Simmons could talk about how she couldn't tell Skye, the man had handed over a handwritten note with his signature stating Skye could know anything. An hour later an additional note sat from Skye on her desk.

"One of the patients woke up when I was administering the blood and refused to accept it until I told him where it was from." The scientist swallowed before continuing, "I couldn't let him die."

Ward had to remind himself that harming the scientist was out of question because his protective instinct was flaring. "Why was Skye crying?"

"I told her that one of the patients knew where it came from, specifically her and that he'd told all the other patients that she's not human." Simmons looked down at the desk and seemed to search for something before pulling a piece of paper out. She handed it to Ward, "she's also pregnant, I found out when I ran her blood for illness just to be sure there were no diseases present. I found a substance similar to hCG or the human pregnancy hormone, it's similar but not specific so it aligns with her near-human biology to tell me she's pregnant."

He stared at the words at the bottom of the lab report because it was news that brought his life to a halt. They had just made it to six months together and while they were prepared for a lifetime, they hadn't planned for the news Simmons was handing him.

**Results: No viral or bacterial infection present. Hormone similar in biology to Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) present in blood of patient. Given patient's near-human biology, hormone present would indicate patient is positive for pregnancy. Similar biology of hormone to hCG allows for scale of measurement to suggest a rate in pregnancy. Comparison of hormone to hCG suggests patient is between 8-10 weeks pregnant.**

* * *

"I don't know which she is more upset about but she refused to allow me to run an ultrasound. I need to verify if Skye is pregnant or if this hormone is just a difference in biology. However she refuses to allow me to run any tests further."

Looking up the specialist handed her back the report, "I'll bring her in this evening once everyone is asleep. She probably doesn't want to walk through the Infirmary to the exam rooms and have everyone stare at her."

"The hormone is similar enough to the human variant that a pregnancy test should work." Simmons moved to a cabinet and dug through before emerging with an at-home pregnancy test which she handed to him. "It's crude perhaps but if it is positive, which it wasn't a few months ago when she begged for one, it should verify my findings."

Ward would never forget the incident three weeks after they'd dispatched Hand and Skye's parents. She'd come out of the bathroom scared and told him she needed to get a test from Simmons because she thought she might be pregnant. The test had come back negative but they'd started using contraceptives however Simmons had told them that any type of birth control Skye could use would likely not work with her near-human biology so it left them with a method that could become faulty at any moment if they they finally had failed and it would change their lives forever.

* * *

A/N: Skye has two big situations on her hands: fellow agents and now a baby.

Next we see Ward try to talk to Skye about the baby as well as watch as she faces her fellow agents as word spreads across the base about her not being human.

Please read and review...


	3. Missing Something Wonderful

Child of Monsters and Men

Spoilers: Short Sequel to **Hope for the Lost**, read first or you will be lost.

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything...

Brief Note: This will be only 2-5 chapters long, just depends on how I want to play this. However if I do want to expand it longer than 5 chapters, I will but that is NOT A PROMISE.

* * *

By the time evening hit the base, Ward too heard the rumors flying around the halls about Skye. His protective nature was at a maximum because the agents saying things were emotionally hurting the love of his life and the mother of his child. He noticed them looking at him too and whispering but he was used to it, what pissed him off was that Skye risked exposing her origins to save over twenty agents. The only thanks she got in return was insults and whispers about how she wasn't human.

Returning to their shared quarters he found her curled up in bed with dried tears on her cheek. She looked so small, so fragile that he wanted to pull her into his arms and take her far away to a place that was ignorant of her. He could at least tell her that Agent Romanoff had already knocked out a couple of agents who had the audacity to say something out loud about Skye in her presence.

Crawling into the bed, he met Skye's eyes and attempted to touch her face but she moved back and rolled over. The movement made him pause and close his eyes, only opening them when her whispers were heard. "You shouldn't be around me or they'll start talking about you too."

Ward sighed and moved closer till he could wrap his arm around her, not caring that she tried to move away from him. "Stop Skye, I'm not going anywhere." Gently he pulled on her shoulder till she turned over to face him. Cupping her cheek he gazed into her eyes and wished for the millionth time to take away her pain. "I love you and like I told May when she asked, it doesn't matter what you are because you're Skye." He let a smile cross his face and his hand brushed down to her belly. "We didn't expect this but I will love her as much as I do her mother."

* * *

"I can't do it." She shook her head and pushed his hand away. "I can't have this baby. I can't risk it being born unable to survive without blood because of who I am. I'm not human and the other agents already look at me like I'm a plague, I won't do that to my child." She sat up and moved off the bed. "So I'm sorry if you've already thought about the future with this baby because there isn't going to be one." Shaking her head she moved to the bathroom door and paused as he sat up on the side of the bed. "I'm just going to ask Simmons to make it impossible for me to have kids so we never run into this again."

Never in his life had Ward experience the pain in his chest as he felt at that moment. Skye being shot came close and the torture he'd experienced because of Raina was slightly behind that but the idea of never seeing his son or daughter, of hearing an innocent laugh or see a smile like their mother's just about killed him. He'd known half a day and already he loved this child, wanted to be a good and loving father to it and internally hoped for a little girl despite it not mattering.

"NO!" He spoke forcefully and Skye whipped around. He rarely raised his voice at her or used the forceful, threatening tone he took with others. Standing he moved over to her and saw her look up at him. "I want this baby Skye, I want to be a father and until Simmons can safely do that test that scans genetics we're keeping it. If that test comes back showing that it has a majority of near-human traits then we'll make a decision but I won't let you murder our child because you're afraid. They may not be like you, they may inherit more human traits than you think but not finding out before getting rid of them like they're trash isn't moral."

* * *

"Grant…"

"I don't care what others think Skye, I care about you and our child!" He shook his head, "they already view me as a black sheep because of my association with HYDRA. They can talk about my association with you and miss out on something so wonderful that they're missing so much by ignoring it." Cupping her face he smiled at her, "you are that wonderful something. Everyone that knows you doesn't care because they know you and love you. Romanoff knows it and that's why she's already knocked out several agents who dared to talk about you in front of her. Coulson just walked by like nothing happened because as far as he was concerned they got what they deserved."

Tears ran down her face, "I want to go back to before I knew what I was."

"You're perfect Skye," he used a thumb to wipe her tears away. "Human or near-human, what makes you Skye is your heart and that alone is more human than most of us could ever try to be."

He pulled her into his arms and held her, allowing her to cry until she couldn't anymore. Finally after a while she pulled back and met his eyes. "I'll wait till Jemma can do the genetics test but if this baby is more near-human than human…"

"We'll face whatever happens together but I do already love her because she is part you and I don't think I couldn't love anything that is a part of you."

Wiping her face Skye looked up at him, "it could be a boy."

"Maybe but I like the idea of a girl." Chuckling, Ward turned off the bathroom light and moved over to the door that lead to the base. "Doesn't matter to me if we have a son or daughter but I'm hoping for a girl like her mom."

* * *

Dinner was full of stares but Skye and Ward joined the team, Romanoff and Hill. The deputy director finally had enough halfway through the meal and stood up much to their surprise. Skye waited to see if she'd leave, in fact the whole team did but instead she shook her head and looked around.

"Alright listen up all of you!" Everyone turned their attention to her. "If I hear one more whisper or see one more stare in the direction of Agent Skye I will personally see to it that you all undergo sensitivity training." Forks fell and people's jaws dropped, sensitivity training was a last resort for SHIELD agents because it often involved reaching into their personal sides. "I don't care what you think, keep those opinions in your head but I want you to know one thing. She risked exposing herself to save twenty-five men from death. Your fellow agents, including Agent Barton, would be dead right now if not for her and instead of saying 'thank you', instead you whisper about her like she's an animal at a zoo. So shut up and keep your thoughts to yourself or I will make sensitivity training happen."

She sat back down and Coulson nodded, "thank you."

"I'm trying to save Romanoff's hand, I know she's about ready to punch almost every one of these agents. I'd prefer not having one of my best agents down because half the base decided to turn into elementary schoolers." Hill looked over at Skye, "you let me know if someone talks about you or to you because they will undergo sensitivity training. To SHIELD agents, it's like torture."

* * *

Ward shivered, "makes actual torture look fun." Skye gave him a curious look, "they shove you in a room with a therapist and animals and ask you questions about how much you care about something."

Skye busted out laughing and patted his arm, "now I'll have to get a dog just to make life unbearable for you."

"Coulson?" Ward whined and the man shrugged.

"Skye can have a dog if she wants to, there aren't any rules against them in the new SHIELD Handbook."

"Director approval," Skye smirked at her boyfriend, "we're getting a dog."

The specialist groaned and started eating, ignoring Skye and Romanoff's discussion on dog breeds and where to get one.

* * *

A/N: Okay so they're getting a dog and planning to wait until the baby is tested to do anything, anyone think Skye will get attached by that time?

Next we see Skye run into someone from her past and also get the results of the genetics tests. She'll be about 4.5 months along in the next chapter.

Please read and review...


	4. Escaping the Past and Facing a Future

Child of Monsters and Men

Spoilers: Short Sequel to **Hope for the Lost**, read first or you will be lost.

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything...

Brief Note: This will be only 2-5 chapters long, just depends on how I want to play this. However if I do want to expand it longer than 5 chapters, I will but that is NOT A PROMISE.

* * *

Skye sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria just staring at the ultrasound picture of her unborn child. The amniocentesis results were ready and they'd see Simmons that afternoon. Part of her was attached to the baby inside her but the other half was scared to death of what the genetic results would yield. Ward's reaction the week before had been a point of change for her, a huge turning point where she couldn't ignore the tiny life in her belly.

"Are you excited?" She didn't have to look up to know it was Romanoff and with her would be Barton. They were about as joined at the hip as she was to Ward, at least since his recovery from near death at the hands of HYDRA.

"Nat leave her alone." Barton spoke and Skye looked up from the picture to see the two glaring at each other.

Putting the picture down, Skye took a sip of her warm chocolate milk. "Terrified actually. This kid could have a lot of genes that aren't human and we don't know what it will do to him. What type of life he has depends on these genes."

"He?" Barton looked up at her, "so it's a boy or are you just counteracting the fact Ward says it's a girl?"

Skye looked back down at the picture, "no it's a boy and I hope he's just like his father."

Romanoff chuckled, "what does Ward think of it being a boy?"

"He doesn't care," she smiled at the memory of the week before.

* * *

A Week Before

**Lying in bed, Skye read the book that Simmons had insisted on her reading. The whole impending motherhood made her nervous and Simmons insisted she read 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' but Skye doubted they'd designed the book for non-human pregnancies. The sudden kick to her ribs made her gasp and Ward turned from his rookie evaluations to look at her.**

**"Skye what's wrong?"**

**"The baby kicked, nothing's wrong." She rubbed her side and went back to her book, only pausing when she felt Ward's hand on her side. Ignoring the book she moved his hand to where the baby had kicked. "He kicked me right there last time."**

**Ward leaned in and put his mouth near his hand, "hey there little guy, it's your dad. You're growing so much and I can't wait to see you. I bet you're going to be as beautiful as your mother and you're going to prove her wrong in so many ways." His eyes moved up and met Skye's as she stared at him. "She may not act like it but a part of her loves you already." He looked back down and kissed her belly through her tank top. "Just as much as I love you. I promise you'll be kept safe little guy. No one is going to hurt you with Dad around to protect you."**

**As his words ceased another strong kick was made, this one meeting Ward's hand and sending a smile to his face. He looked down in awe as he felt their son move for the first time.**

* * *

Present Day

"So do you have any names picked out?" Barton was the one to ask and Skye shook her head.

Ward had begun looking online and in some books Coulson had given him on fatherhood, apparently every member of the team was eager to help, but she refrained from taking part in the naming bit. She honestly didn't know what she'd do if she got more attached than she was at that moment in time and her son turned out to be full of near-human genes, damning him to the existence she'd escaped by sheer miracle. She couldn't watch her child become the monster her father had become and even with all the love they'd give him, the blood thirst wouldn't go away if it was present.

"I'm letting Ward do that," Skye shrugged, "he seems eager to do it and I'm only creative enough to come up with something like 'Skye' so he's in charge of naming the kid." It was the excuse she gave anyone who asked.

Barton nodded, "just tell Ward if he names the kid Francis I may kill him. Whoever had the bright idea of giving a boy the name Francis is insane. It's my middle name but it's still a girl's name."

"Don't make me regret healing you." Skye blurted out, if Ward wanted to name their kid Francis she'd kill him after the fact but no one touched the man who was her other half. Barton started to open his mouth and she stopped him, "and if you thank me for the billionth time I will shoot you. Every time I turn around you're thanking me so stop already."

"Thank you?" He smirked and leaned back as her empty Styrofoam cup headed in the direction of his head. "Look, if I say it enough than I'll have thanked you on behalf of all the lowlifes you saved but didn't thank you."

* * *

Saying goodbye, she got up and headed towards the elevator that would take her to the Infirmary. She agreed to meet Simmons and Ward there at 1500 and it was getting close. Her hand went to her belly as her son kicked, as if reminding her he was there and alive. Looking down as the elevator opened on the fifth floor, the Infirmary on the third and the cafeteria she'd been at on ninth, she spoke gently to her belly. "I know you're there kid and I hope these tests show you're normal like your dad. I don't want you to be like me because then there is no hope for you."

Looking up she found two guards and Agent Davenport, one of the field specialists, with the last person she expected to see. Miles Lydon was staring at her as if she was animal on exhibit at the zoo, at least until Davenport jerked his arm.

"Eyes to the ground Lydon, you're lucky we didn't shoot you on sight for hacking our security network." Davenport looked at Skye and smiled, "how are you today Agent Skye? How's our future specialist doing?"

Skye chuckled, "kicking up a storm, acting like he's taking out an army like his dad. Unfortunately everything he kicks happens to be my internal organs."

Davenport chuckled, "future specialist indeed. I bet Dad is thrilled at a boy to pal around with in the gym and play paintball."

"Actually he was disappointed for an hour after the ultrasound." Skye smiled, "he was hoping for a girl but it'd be my lucky I'd be stuck with another Grant Ward."

"Agent Ward, you mean the toolbag that arrested us both?" Miles spoke and Davenport rolled her eyes.

"If you don't shut up right now…"

* * *

The door to the elevator opened and revealed Grant Ward leaning against the opposite wall. He smiled at her and she gave a small smile back, accepting his hand as she exited the car. "You're late."

"So sue me, elevator was slow due to prisoner transport. Some Rising Tide hacker tried to hack my security system and now I'm going to have to go put up security nets because of it."

Ward laughed and shook his head, "this coming from an ex-Rising Tide hacker…"

"SHIELD Agent now, who may I remind you built the entire SHIELD security network. So save it Mr. Specialist who can barely work a computer." She laughed as the elevators closed and they made their way down the hallway to the Infirmary.

* * *

Simmons seemed to be waiting for them, having genetic profiles on the computer screens and working on them as they entered. She smiled at them and turned, leaning against the table. "You're here, finally it means we can discuss this beautiful baby's genetics. I am absolutely thrilled because I can tell you at this moment his traits down to his eyes and hair. The past week and all the genetic analyzing programs that Sci-Ops created were put to use."

Skye looked at the profiles to see they held more than hers and Ward's, there were also her biological parents. "All I want to know is if he'll be like them." She nodded to the profiles, "I need to know how much of them there is in him. I need to know if he'll…if he'll have the bloodlust my parents did."

"Oh not to worry," Simmons smiled and turned back to her computer. "I isolated the gene that amplifies the bloodlust, its present in the blood you gave me months ago and also in their DNA but it's silent in your current and past DNA samples." She pulled up two profiles, the baby's and the baby's grandfather. "See, the marker on Chromosome 19, it's not present in his DNA so your main worry is for nothing."

Ward put an arm around Skye as she leaned into him, "see our son is perfect."

"Oh he's perfect indeed." Simmons smiled, "he is a perfect mix of his mum and Dad. Would you like to know what he'll look like?"

Skye looked up, "is he more human or near-human?"

"Well technically he's half you so he does have half your DNA." Simmons leaned against the table and shrugged. "But the DNA profile suggests that most of his active genes are from the Ward side of the family. Now in the features department he unfortunately will be a lot like his mum."

"Good," Ward looked down at Skye. "I didn't get a girl like her mother but I get a son who looks like you. Now I know he'll be perfect."

* * *

Skye thought about how much he loved her and their son and his vow to protect their son with his life. He was so in love with their baby and said baby was finally safe from her blood-soaked heritage so in that moment she let herself fully love him. The name she'd kept in the back of her mind, before she'd found out her heritage but allowed herself to dream of being the mother of Ward's son, finally seeped forward.

"Elliott," she looked up at Ward. "We should call him Elliott after your brother, Eli for short."

"Eli," Ward thought about it and let it roll around on the tip of his tongue before nodding. "Elliott Phillip Ward."

* * *

A/N: Yay he has a name and isn't like Skye. I know a boy is out of character for me but I've been surrounded by all the boys I've been babysitting lately and was like, I want to write a boy.

Next we see the birth and it ends up being kind of humorous and unexpected.

Please read and review...


	5. Child of Good Men

Child of Monsters and Men

Spoilers: Short Sequel to **Hope for the Lost**, read first or you will be lost.

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything...except Elliott

Brief Note: This will be only 2-5 chapters long, just depends on how I want to play this. However if I do want to expand it longer than 5 chapters, I will but that is NOT A PROMISE.

* * *

Everyone who walked the halls of the third floor veered away from the Infirmary instantly. The sound of Skye's yells were probably loud enough to be heard two floors in either direction. Simmons stood trying to keep Skye in bed but the young agent wasn't having it.

"I am not having this baby without Ward here and that's final. He can stay inside of me for another few days if it means waiting on his father." Skye tried to get out of bed but Simmons put her hands on Skye's shoulder to prevent her.

"Unfortunately babies do not think like rational people nor does the process of labor. You are going to have this baby either tonight or tomorrow and there is no preventing it. Ward will have to miss the birth if he doesn't return in time but you cannot stop labor once it begins."

Skye huffed and pushed off the bed, "I don't care what this kid thinks, he is not coming into the world without his father being present. Now let me up or so help me I'll cut you and make it so you can't stand in my way. I'm going to my room and I'll call if the pain gets worse."

Simmons backed away and shook her head, "I'll be checking on you every hour so don't think you'll be going back to Comm-Ops."

Skye marched out of the Infirmary and any agent in the hall moved out of her way instantly. They'd learned quickly that a pregnant and hormonal agent was much more dangerous than a specialist with a dozen weapons. Pushing the elevator button, Skye waited for the car to arrive and when it did she pushed the first floor instead of the sixth. She was going to Operations before she headed to her room, Grant Ward was going to be coming home for the birth of his son if she had to go to Bosnia herself and retrieve him.

* * *

Arriving she found Hill and Coulson talking, both looked up at her as she entered. "Skye how are you doing?"

"I'm pissed, just like his father this kid is impossible. He made a choice not to come on his due date and exactly when his father is on a retrieval mission. Get Ward on the phone now before I board a plane to Bosnia."

Coulson and Hill shared a look before the deputy director asked the stupid question. "You're in labor?"

"No, I'm hatching an egg!" Skye threw up her hands, "of course I'm in labor, that's how a kid comes into the world or did you skip that in biology class?"

Coulson chuckled and nodded to a nearby agent who was pulling Ward up on his comm. They heard him answer in a near-breathless voice. "A little busy right now sir, give me a moment and I can talk." They could hear the grunts and groans as well as glass shattering.

"You're not to busy to get your ass back home!" Skye spoke loudly and half the room turned to look at her. "You get your ass on a plane as soon as you dispose of those criminals because your son has decided to follow after his father and be stubborn as hell, coming when he sees fit."

Ward's voice was breathless as he spoke, still fighting obviously. "Honey why aren't you in the Infirmary?"

"Don't Honey me Grant Ward because I'm pissed off right now. Your kid, who may I remind you is almost nine pounds, has made up his mind to come by tomorrow evening and you'd better be here or I'll be sure to kick your ass all the way to Antarctica. I'll make you regret ever choosing to take a mission a week before I was due."

The entire room had wide eyes and Coulson was holding back a chuckle. "Sir please see that Skye gets to the Infirmary and arrange a transport. The retrieval has occurred and the enemy has been taken care of." He seemed to be breathing easier and didn't seem to be fighting anymore.

Coulson nodded, "will do, safe trip back." A flick of his hand had the agent at the station shutting the communication down. "You heard him Skye, to the Infirmary to wait on Elliott's arrival."

* * *

The Infirmary was the last place Jemma Simmons wanted to be around 1800 that evening. Skye had progressed in labor, bombarded by contractions and pain as well as not having her boyfriend beside her making her pissed as hell. She alternated between being whiny to pissed off beyond reason when the contractions made themselves known. It wasn't news that Skye wasn't a very good patient, at times she even made the most patient of nurses want to run for the halls. At that moment everyone was avoiding her if possible.

Moving into the room, Simmons found Skye on her laptop. It seemed to be the only thing that could calm the agent during her boughts of anger. Smiling, the scientist reviewed the fetal heart rate and Skye's vitals before sitting beside the bed in a chair.

"How are you feeling physically, I know emotionally you're upset?"

Skye closed her laptop and huffed as she leaned back, "I want an epidural," she looked at Simmons and tapped her hands against the laptop. The decision to go drug-free had been a mutual decision on all three parties after much debate of both benefits and dangers of epidurals.

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

"The last contraction I almost squeezed my laptop too hard, I can't handle it Jemma. When we made the decision it was under the assumption that Ward would be here and I'd be having a water birth but neither of those things are happening. The damn birthing tub was damaged upon arriving and Ward's not here."

Simmons nodded and stood, "I'll have to check your progress before I can administer it. If you're dilated beyond 8 cm I won't administer it because you'll be close to pushing."

* * *

Of course Skye found herself at 7.5 cm dilated so Simmons gave her the epidural. The downside was that she was still feeling contractions until an hour had passed, at that point she could finally relax. Simmons insisted she try to rest while she could so her laptop was taken away and the lights to her small room were turned down. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes just as the door to her room slid open.

It wasn't Ward as she wanted but Coulson, he moved over to the chair and sat down. "How are you doing?"

"When it Ward going to be here?"

"Tracking puts him over New York so about four hours and he'll be here." Coulson looked at her and rubbed her hand. "He's on a SHIELD flight, I'll give you the flight comm code if you want to talk to him."

Skye shook her head, "I just want him here. Can't you order them to fly faster?"

The man chuckled, "I would order them if I could but the pilots are going as fast as they safely can."

"Not fast enough." The agent was whining and Coulson could only smile, knowing Skye deserved Ward beside her.

"Hang in there and he'll be here soon."

* * *

The phrase 'not soon enough' was familiar to everyone's ears as Skye was being prepped to deliver her son. She'd dilated enough to deliver and she was demanding her boyfriend, who was landing as they prepped her. Simmons found herself glad that no other agent was expecting a child because if they were anything like Skye she'd go back to her projects instead of working in the Infirmary.

"Skye you need to calm down." Simmons looked at her as they placed Skye's legs in stirrups. "You need to concentrate on pushing right now, Elliott is almost here and you need to focus on him."

Skye shook her head as she tried to remove her legs, "I'm not having this kid until Ward gets here. He can wait ten minutes for his father to arrive."

"Unfortunately it doesn't work like that." One of the nurses spoke as she helped Simmons put Skye's legs back up. "You need to start pushing on the next contraction."

"Screw you lady!"

"Honestly Skye, he'll be here as soon as he can get downstairs so you need to start worrying about pushing your son into the world."

Skye folded her arms and tried to ignore the need to push, "I said I'm waiting."

Simmons moved to Skye and looked her in the eyes, "I will lock Ward out of the Infirmary if you don't focus on giving birth. You could harm your son if you continue with this behavior and I highly doubt that is what he wants when he arrives." She saw Skye examine her features for lies, "I mean it, I'll order him locked out if you don't focus on pushing."

* * *

Five minutes into pushing the specialist arrived and was over to the bed instantly, taking Skye's hand from the nurse. He leaned down and kissed Skye's head, "I am so sorry I'm late."

"Screw you, you don't have a watermelon being pushed out of your vagina!" She grunted and was thankful that she only felt pressure, no pain present. "Only your kid could weight nine pounds and it be considered normal."

Ward looked over at Simmons as the scientist sat at Skye's feet, "how's she been doing?"

"She's been impossible." Simmons looked back at Skye, "one more big push Skye and you'll deliver is head."

"His head? That's his head?" Skye practically screamed and they all looked at her. "If that's his head than I don't want to deliver his body because it's bound to be huge."

The nurse chuckled, "the baby's head is the largest part of his body. Once you deliver the head it'll be downhill from there."

Skye glared at Ward before bearing down and seconds later Simmons smiled, "he's got his father's dark locks and a head full of hair."

"I was hoping he'd get your hair." Ward whispered against her temple, "as long as he has your eyes I think it'll be an even trade."

"So you can give him everything he wants?" Skye shook her head, "no he's going to look like you down to the damn cheekbones so you don't give into him like you do me." The pressure built and she began pushing again.

* * *

What seemed like an eternity ended when a loud squeal and cry filled the Infirmary. Simmons held up a screaming baby and smiled at them. "Elliott Phillip Ward meet Mum and Dad."

Ward couldn't keep the tears from his eyes and Skye practically sobbed at the sight of the screaming, wiggling newborn who protected against leaving his previous home. She put her hands out as Simmons laid the baby on her chest. Kissing his head Skye looked up at Ward, the man had tears raining down his face as he stuck a tentative hand out to touch the baby's head.

"Hey there Eli, it's Daddy." Ward shook his head, "he's perfect, absolutely perfect."

Skye kissed her son's head and looked at his face, "I don't know how I ever thought I couldn't love you. Mommy loves you so much Eli."

* * *

Hours later they sat together in the bed with Ward holding the newborn in his lap, Skye smiled as father and son bonded. Leaning her head against Ward's shoulder she looked down at the surprise that changed their life.

"We did this." Ward looked at her with awe in his eyes, "we created this perfect little person."

"Yeah we did." Reaching out Skye took her son and pulled him to her chest, kissing his forehead gently. "Welcome to the world Elliott Phillip Ward, it's full of wonder and full of danger but you'll be safe with Mommy and Daddy."

Ward put a hand to his son's back and kissed Skye's head, "I will protect him with my life, from every danger. He won't be like we were growing up, wondering if we were loved because he will be loved till we can't love him anymore."

Looking into brown eyes that opened up, Skye smiled. "I love all of you Eli, even the near-human parts. You aren't a child of monsters, you're a child of a good man," she looked at Ward, "the best man you could have as a father."

"And he has a mother who maybe a child of monsters but also of good men. Coulson and May are good stand in parents to you and they'll be great role models for him." He saw his son form an O with his mouth and a smile emerged on his own face. "You have the biggest family in the world little guy, our family's name is SHIELD and they'll love you just as much as we do."

* * *

A/N: And that's the end, I decided to end with a touching family moment.

I hope you enjoyed this short sequel to Hope for the Lost.

Please read and review this last chapter (for this fic at least).


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